The subject invention relates to a clip, badge or emblem having indicia thereon, which clip, badge or emblem is integrally mounted within an automotive vehicle.
Airbags are placed within the interior of a vehicle to provide added protection to an occupant. The automobile manufacturer frequently requires that a message, such as xe2x80x9cSRSxe2x80x9d and/or xe2x80x9cAIRBAGxe2x80x9d, be placed within the interior of the vehicle over the position of the airbag to alert the occupant to the location of the airbag. These airbag messages may be integrally molded into the interior of the vehicle. Some interior components, however, do not allow for an integrally molded message, i.e. headliners. An emblem is typically attached to these components. The emblem is either a heat transfer label or a pressure sensitive adhesive label. Both of these types of emblems require specialized equipment and may detach from the component upon deployment of the airbag.
A simple badge or clip could be provided. The badge or clip will have imprinted or molded thereon the requisite indicia. However, prior art clips are generally symmetrical about both the longitudinal and transverse axes. As a result, such clips or badges may be installed with the indicia inverted, a result which is highly undesirable.
The disadvantages of the prior art may be overcome by providing a clip assembly which is mounted in a predetermined orientation to an interior panel of a vehicle. The clip assembly has a face plate having indicia thereon and a base for mounting the clip assembly to the interior panel. The face plate has at least two barbed posts. The base has a contour which is asymmetrical in at least one direction. The base engages with a complementarily shaped recess on the interior panel such that the base is received therein in only one orientation. The base has at least two complementary apertures receiving the posts. The apertures and the posts are constructed and arranged such that the face plate engages the base through the interior panel in only one orientation relative thereto, enabling the face plate to be attached to the interior panel presenting the indicia in the predetermined readable orientation.